1. The message and ministry of Jesus and His apostles reached even into the halls of government. The impact of the message and ministry reached far and wide during these days.
2. Herod became disturbed. He had murdered John the Baptist and some were saying that Jesus was John the Baptist risen from the dead. He thought he got rid of John’s convicting preaching. Was it possible that John had arisen or that another like John had come on the scene? Herod wished to know.
3. This was Herod Antipas; he was the son of Herod the Great; his mother’s name was Malthace. After his father’s death, he became tetrarch or prince-ruler of Galilee. His first wife was daughter of Aretas, a famous Arabian Sheik. This princess he divorced, and contracted a incestuous and adulterous marriage at once with his niece Herodias, the wife of his half-brother Philip. Philip was not a Sovereign prince, and it was probably from motives of ambition that she deserted Philip.
4. The murder of John had been, Herod knew was strongly condemned by the public voice. Herod actually need not have feared, because Saduceeism and the easy doctrines of Epicurus which did not favour resurrection found favour in the palace. But he was still conscious. The murmur that the great prophet was Elijah disquieted him too. He recalled how Elijah fought with wicked Ahab and Jezebel whose great crime was they too had slain the Lord’s prophets.
5. The desire of Herod to see our Lord was gratified but not then. He saw Him on the day of the crucifixion, when Pilate sent him to Herod for judgment; but that tetrarch, weak and wicked though he was, declined the responsibility of shedding that blood, so he sent him back to the governor (Lk 23: 6-12)
When we read the Story of Herod we get a picture of someone who does not really take a stand in his life. He wavers in his convictions and paints a personality of himself which is characterized by fear and insecurity. People who live a life of compromise cannot but live in constant fear and insecurity. This is a great lesson Jesus teaches us through Herod.
Courtesy
The Death of the Messiah – Raymond E. Brown
The Preacher’s Outline and the Sermon Bible
The Pulpit Commentary
When we read the Story of Herod we get a picture of someone who does not really take a stand in his life. He wavers in his convictions and paints a personality of himself which is characterized by fear and insecurity. People who live a life of compromise cannot but live in constant fear and insecurity. This is a great lesson Jesus teaches us through Herod.
Courtesy
The Death of the Messiah – Raymond E. Brown
The Preacher’s Outline and the Sermon Bible
The Pulpit Commentary
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